Trinko goes on to note that Huntsman didn't run a good campaign, but
this is a minor complaint. He could easily run a stellar campaign next
time. After all, if he had just stayed in the race, at some point, like
all the others, he would have surged ahead in the polls. And given that
he actually
was a real politician, he might have stayed there.

What Trinko seems to be offering is the idea that if Republicans can
just hold their noses and vote for a candidate who doesn't pander to
their vile ideal, they might get a really conservative candidate who can
win. This all comes down to the argument conservatives have been making
since the election: it is the style rather than the substance of their
policies that are scaring minority voters away. But no: it's really
is the substance.

I'm not one of those who think that the Democrats are home free now.
Republicans will continue to win low-turnout elections. But for the
majority of voters, their ideas are toxic. And it doesn't matter how
much they dress up these ideas. Even in a Superman cape, they just won't
fly.